Audi A8 to get R10 diesel?

Rumors are floating around the net that Audi may be so bold as to offer the A8 with a version of the twin-turbo V12 TDI diesel engine that powers the automaker's R10 Le Mans racecars. In full race trim the 5.5-liter, twelve-cylinder engine produces 650 horsepower and 811 ft-lbs of torque. The powerplant would likely be detuned for production use, as well as lightened from its current weight of over 440 lbs.

While this appears to be pure speculation at this point, it's not very far fetched. The Audi R10s have been just as dominant in the American Le Mans Series as was their R8 predecessor, proving that diesel can more than hold its own the track. Audi has also stated in the past that it plans to fast track technology advancements made on the R10 racers to production vehicles. Lastly, the German automaker has by far been diesel's loudest cheerleader this year. What bigger statement could be made then by dropping the most dominant engine in motorsports today into a luxury sedan? But... wouldn't the engine make a bit more sense in Audi's everyday supercar, the upcoming R8? Whatever, as long as its coming to a driveway near us we don't care.

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